Bay Shore LIRR Station Stabbing: Murder Indictment and a Teenage Co-Defendant Highlight How New York’s “Raise the Age” Law Really Works

A late-night confrontation in a Long Island Rail Road parking lot has resulted in one of the more legally complex homicide prosecutions Suffolk County has seen in months — not just because of the violence alleged, but because of who is charged.

According to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, 24-year-old Adrien Arocho of Bay Shore was indicted on a charge of Murder in the Second Degree after 34-year-old Yolandus Darrell Pratt was fatally stabbed roughly ten times in the parking lot of the Bay Shore LIRR station on July 5, 2026. Prosecutors allege the attack began after Pratt, who was riding his bicycle through the lot around 2:30 a.m., became involved in a verbal exchange with Arocho and a 17-year-old who was with him. Pratt was found by police moments later, unconscious and bleeding, and was pronounced dead at South Shore University Hospital.

Arocho was arrested in Pennsylvania in early September and extradited back to Suffolk County, where he was arraigned before Acting County Court Judge Pierce Cohalan and ordered held without bail. He is due back in court on October 6, 2026. What makes this case especially instructive, though, is the 17-year-old co-defendant, who was also indicted on a Murder in the Second Degree charge and was scheduled to be arraigned before Acting Supreme Court Justice Karen Kerr — not in Family Court.

For a lot of Long Island families, that raises an obvious question: didn’t New York change the law so that teenagers aren’t prosecuted as adults anymore?

What NY Penal Law 125.25 Actually Charges

Both defendants are charged under New York Penal Law § 125.25, Murder in the Second Degree — a class A-I felony, the most serious classification in the state’s penal code. The statute covers several theories of liability, including an intentional killing and, notably, a killing that occurs during the commission of certain other violent felonies. If convicted on the top count, an adult defendant faces a minimum of 15 to 25 years and a maximum of 25 years to life in state prison. As with any pending case, both men are presumed innocent unless and until the prosecution proves its case beyond a reasonable doubt.

Why “Raise the Age” Didn’t Send the Teen to Family Court

New York’s Raise the Age law, phased in beginning in 2018, generally moved 16- and 17-year-olds out of adult criminal court and into Family Court or a specialized “Youth Part.” Many people assume that means every teenager accused of a crime now automatically ends up in Family Court. That is not quite right.

Under the statute, a 16- or 17-year-old charged with a qualifying violent felony — including murder — is classified as an “Adolescent Offender.” The case still begins in the Youth Part of the criminal court, and for most charges the law creates a strong presumption that the case will be removed to Family Court. But under CPL § 722.23, that presumption can be overcome for the most serious violent felonies — including murder — if the prosecution proves specific aggravating factors, such as that the defendant caused significant physical injury or displayed a weapon. When the District Attorney’s office establishes those factors, the case can remain in the Youth Part of criminal court rather than moving to Family Court, exposing the teenager to significantly more serious criminal consequences than the traditional juvenile system would allow — although the case is still handled somewhat differently than an ordinary adult prosecution, including additional procedural protections.

How These Cases Move Through Suffolk County’s Courts

Homicide cases originating in Suffolk County are prosecuted by the DA’s Homicide Bureau and typically proceed from an initial felony complaint, through Suffolk County’s First District Court in Central Islip for early appearances, to a grand jury presentment and, if an indictment is voted, arraignment in County Court or the Youth Part. A defendant’s attorney can request a hearing to argue that a case should be removed to Family Court, or, separately, challenge the People’s evidence before the grand jury and at trial. Bail determinations — as reflected in Arocho being held without bail here — are also central to how these cases unfold in the months before trial.

What This Case Means for Anyone Facing Serious Charges on Long Island

Cases like this one underscore a few practical points that apply well beyond homicide charges:

• Age does not automatically mean Family Court. Families of a 16- or 17-year-old charged with a violent felony in Nassau or Suffolk County should not assume the case will stay out of adult criminal court. An experienced juvenile defense attorney needs to be involved immediately to fight for removal under CPL 722.23 where the facts support it.
• The right to remain silent and the right to counsel apply from the first police contact. Anyone questioned about a violent incident — as a witness, a co-defendant, or a suspect — should invoke both rights before speaking with investigators.
• An indictment is not a conviction. A grand jury vote means prosecutors persuaded a panel there is enough evidence to proceed to trial; it is not proof of guilt, and every defendant retains the presumption of innocence through trial.
• Extradition and flight allegations complicate a case but don’t decide it. Being arrested out of state, as Arocho reportedly was, adds legal issues around the extradition process itself but has no bearing on the ultimate question of guilt.

If you or a family member has been charged with a violent felony — or any serious offense — in Suffolk County or elsewhere on Long Island, the decisions made in the first days after arrest can shape the entire case. For background on how a felony moves from arrest to indictment in the neighboring county, see our related post on what to expect from a grand jury indictment in Nassau County, and on the importance of staying silent, you have the right to remain silent.

If you’re facing a criminal investigation or charges anywhere on Long Island, don’t navigate it alone — contact our office for a consultation to discuss your rights and options.

Attorney Advertising. This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Sources

• Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office press release, September 18, 2026
• NY Penal Law § 125.25, Murder in the Second Degree (NY Senate)
• NY Criminal Procedure Law § 722.23, Removal of adolescent offenders (NY Senate)